Coin-controlled mechanism.



J. A. EVANS.

GOIN GONTROLLIEDMEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1909. 961,219. Patented Jun@ 14, 1910. 3REVES-SHEET 1.

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APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1909.

Patented June 14,1910.

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J. A. EVANS.

com GoNTRoLLBD MEGHANISM.

APPLIQATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1909.

Patented June'14, 1910.

WHNESSES.-

JAMES A. EVANS, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

COIN-CONTROLLED MECHANISM.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 14, 1910.

Application led September 29, 1909. Serial No. 520,090.

T o all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES ALEXANDRA EVANS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Coin-Controlled Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to coin-controlled mechanism for automaticvending machines and has particular relation to that class of apparatusdesigned for dispensing chewing gum, confections and the like, the samebeing a division of my application for Letters Patent for improvementsin automatic vending machines, filed July 2, 1909 and serially numbered505,673.

This invention has for its principal objects the improvements in theconstruction of this class of coin-controlled machines and the noveltythereof resides in the new combinations,y arrangements and constructionsof parts which will be hereinafter set forth and specifically pointedout in the claims.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will bemore fully understood from the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and inwhich Figure 1, is a view in front elevation showing the exterior of avending machine embodying the invention, Fig. 2, is a similar view withcertain parts shown in Fig. 1, removed to illustrate interiorconstruction, Fig. 3, is a view in section taken upon the line 3-3 ofFig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 4, is a view takenupon the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow, Fig.5, is a view in rear elevation of the vending machine, with certainparts removed to illustrate interior construction, and Fig. 6, is aperspective view of a portion of the machine, illustrated in theforegoing figures.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a cabinet or casing 1, withinwhich the various parts of a machine for automatically vending chewinggum are housed. The front of the cabinet may be provided with aremovable cover 2, provided with means to lock the same as at 3, adelivery opening 4, a glass front 5, and a coin receiving slot 6. Vlthinthe cabinet 1, is located a device for receiving and maintaining inposition a stack of packages of chewing gum and automatic mechanism forreleasing and delivering one at a time these packages of gum. Thismechanism, as shown in the drawings, is so arranged and constructed thatit may be readily removed from the cabinet l, in its assembled position(see Fig. 6), if desired, and the description following will (referthereto, although it will be readily understood that the various partsmay be assembled in other ways to accomplish the purpose of theinvention. Suitably supported by the side walls of the cabinet 1, is asupporting plate 7, apertured for the passage there through of a packageof chewing gum. Rising from this plate is a chewing gum receivingreceptacle 8, shown in the drawings as consisting of an inverted generalU- shaped member, the uprights of which are channeled in order that astack of packages of gum may be kept in alinement. A portion of theuprights is cut away as at 9, for the insertion of the gum whenreplenishing the cabinet. Adjacent the apertured portion of the plate 7,guides b, are provided, which, in effect, form a continuation of thereceptacle 8.

As clearly illustrated in the drawings, the packages of gum to bedelivered are generally rectangular in shape, compartively long andquite thin. Located beneath the supporting plate 7, adjacent theapertured portion thereof, and leading therefrom in an inclined positionis a chute 10, that registers with the opening 4, in the cover of thecaloinet. In the present invention, use is made of devices forautomatically advancing from a stack of packages of gum, one at a time,a package for delivery to other devices for nally releasing the samewhen subsequently operated automatically, the entire operation of theparts, in delivering a package of gum, being practically simultaneous,automatic and controlled and operated solely by depositing a coin withinthe slot 6.

A description will first be given of the mechanism for selecting andadvancing to releasing mechanism, one at a time, packages of gum to bedelivered. Depending from and fixed to the plate 7, is a supportingframe 11, secured to which at each end thereof are upwardly extendingresilient pieces l2, shown as being leaf springs, provided with inwardlyextending projections 13, and terminating in forked-end portions 14,that straddle reciprocating fingers 15. These fingers 15, are slidablysupported in brackets 16, fixed to the underside of the plate 7.Normally, they have their inner or pointed ends projected beneath thestack or pile of packages of gum 17, being held in this position by thesprings 12, causing the stops 18, to abut against the brackets 16, (seeFig. the forkedends 14, of the springs 12, being interposed between thepins 19, on the fingers 15. These lingers 15, by means ofcoin-controlled mechanism, operate automatically to select and advanceone at a time packages of gum to other mechanism. A description will nowbe given of' the mechanism for operating these fingers. Suspendedbeneath the supporting plate 7, is a pivotally arranged cross-bar20,having fixed relation with which and eX- tending rearwardly therefromis a member 21, shown as comprising a wire, bent in substantial U-shapedfashion that serves as a tappet arm, adapted to impinge against theprojections 13, of the springs 12, when the bar 20, is moved about itspivotal point for moving the fingers 15, from beneath a pile of packagesof gum 1T. rl`he bar 12, is moved about its pivotal point when a coin isdeposited within the slot 6. There extends across the said slot, a guardpiece 22, fulcrumed as at 23, and having pivotal relation with which isa rod 24, that is also pivotally connected as at 25, with the bar 20. 1nthis connection, it may be remarked, that when a coin is depositedwithin the slot 6, the guard piece 22, is moved about its fulcrumedpoint by the coin, thereby depressing the rod 24, and elevating thetappet arm 21, sufiiciently to move backward the nger pieces and permitone package of gum to drop upon the package delivering mechan ism, aboutto be described, it being understood that by virtue of the springs 12,the fingers 15, immediately return to normal position and prevent theremainder of the stack of packages from gravitating.

In the rear of the machine (see Figs. 4, 5 and 6,) there is suspendedbeneath the supporting plate 7, a pivotally arranged bar 26, providedwith a counterweight 27, and a pin 40, hereinafter referred to.Extending forwardly from this bar 26, and extending beneath the stack ofpackages of gum 1T, and also beneath the fingers 15, is a pair offingers 28, which, when the bar 26, is moved about its pivotal point,lower a package of gum that has been selected by the reciprocatingfingers 15, to the chute 10, for delivery at the opening of thecabinet 1. The bar 26, is moved about its pivotal point through theinstrumentality of coin operated mechanism, a description of which willnow be given. Arrangedat the left-hand side of the cabinet (see Figs. 2and 3) and fixed to the bar 26, is an escapement 29,

capable of being released by a pivotally arranged detent 30, providedwith a coin receiving plate 31. As clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3,the detent is pivoted between a pair of plates 32 and 33, that serve toguidev coins to the bottom of the cabinet in a manner hereinafterdescribed. 1t may be here remarked that the weight 27, on the bar 26,serves to return the fingers 2S, to a substantially horizontal positionafter they have deposited a package of gum within the chute 10.

To operate the vending apparatus of the invention, a coin, as indicatedin dotted lines by the letter a, is inserted within the coin slot 6,thereby forcing upward one end of the member 22, and pressing downwardthe rod 24, thus causing the reciprocating fingers 15, to move away frombeneath the packages of gum and permitting one of said packages to dropto and rest upon the fingers, 23, of the bar 26. As the coin, aftermoving the bar 22, passes into the cabinet 1, it rolls along between thepartitions 32 and 33, upon the member 34, impinges against the plate 33,between said partitions, thus retarding the motion of the coin and itthen rolls upon the coin lever 35, (see Fig. 3), which is pivoted as at36, to the partition 32, the said lever being provided with ascrew-threaded portion for the reception of a nut 37, which is adaptedto be adjusted to only permit coins of the proper weight to depress thelever 35. 1f the coin be a bad one, it will not depress the lever 35,but will roll into the cabinet by way of the slot 38. However, if thecoin be a good one, it will depress the lever 35, enter the slot 39, anddrop upon the coin plate 31, of the detent 30, thereby releasing thesaid detent from engagement with the escapement 29. The release of theescapement will cause the fingers 23, of the bar 26, to gravitate anddeposit the lowermost package of chewing gum within the chute 30, itbeing understood that .the remaining packages of gum in the pile areheld in position by virtue of the fingers 15, that have returned toplace after the coin a, passed beyond the bar 22. In order to preventthe misuse of the vending machine, a locking device is provided, adescription of which will now be given. As clearly illustrated in Fig.6, the frame 11, is provided with a pivotally arranged lock member 41,adapted to be normally retained in the position shown in Fig. 6, bymeans of a spring 42. As clearly shown in said figure, the lock member41, is recessed as at 43, said recessed portion resting upon the generalU-shaped tappet arm 21. When a coin is placed within the vending machineand the tappet arm elevated as above described, the part 44, of the lockmember 41, is caused to ride beneath the pin 40, of the bar 26, therebylocking the fingers 28, against downward movement. When the parts of thevending machine are in this position, it will be readily understood thatno packages of gum can leave the machine under any circumstances. As thetappet arm returns to normal position, the lock member 41, also returnsto normal position and simultaneously therewith the bar 26, moves aboutits pivotal point and lowers the fingers 28. This movement brings thepin 40, in the path of the lock member 41, so that the tappet arm 2l,cannot move upward until the bar 26, returns to normal position. It willthus be seen that the bar 20, and its complemental parts and the bar 26,and its complemental parts are so arranged, connected and constructed.that the one serves to lock the other against joint movement. In otherwords, when the bar 20, is being operated, the bar 26, will not operate,and when the bar 26, is operating, the bar 20, cannot operate. From theabove description, it will be readily understood that the entireoperation is automatic and that a package of gum will be deliveredthrough the opening a, of the cabinet l, when a proper coin is insertedthrough the slot 6, without resorting to the pushing and pulling ofknobs or other manual operations, as is usual upon machines of thischaracter. It will further be understood that the mechanism forselecting a package of gum to be delivered is entirely separate from andindependent of the mechanism for delivering the packages of gum, thusreducing to a minimum the possibility of tampering with the operation ofthe machine to perpetrate fraud.

What I claim is l. In coin-controlled mechanism the combination of avertically disposed coin chute having two compartments, a horizontallyarranged pivotal coin plate located adjacent the top of said chuteconstructed to deflect bad coins to one compartment and good coins tothe other compartment, a second coin plate pivoted within said chuteadapted to be operated by good coins, an escapement operated by thelast-mentioned plate, a pivotal ejecting medium operatively connectedwith said escapement and mechanism normally preventing said medium fromej ecting a portion of said mechanism being arranged in the path of acoin to be deposited whereby the said medium will be automaticallyreleased.

2. In coin-controlled mechanism the combination of a vertically disposedcoin chute, having two compartments, a horizontally arranged fiXed coinplate adjacent the top thereof, a similarly arranged coin platepivotally carried within said chute and beneath the fixed plateconstructed to deflect bad coins to one of said compartments and goodcoins to the other of said compartments, a second pivotal coin plateadjacent the bottom of said chute adapted to be operated by good coins,an escapement operated by said plate, counterbalanced pivotal ejectingngers operatively connected with said escapement and mechanism normallypreventing said fingers from ejecting a portion of said mechanism beingarranged in the path of a coin to be deposited whereby the ejectingfingers will be automatically released.

3. In coin-controlled mechanism the combination of pivotally arrangedcoin operated lingers, releasing mechanism for cooperating with saidlingers, arranged in the path of a coin to be deposited, a supplementallocking device adapted to be moved in one direction by said releasingmechanism for locking said lingers against movement and means forreturning said looking device and releasing mechanism to inactiveposition the said parts being arranged, connected and constructed tooperate automatically upon depositing a coin in said mechanism.

4. In coin controlled mechanism the combination of a releasing device,coin operated means for operating the releasing device, a locking devicearranged in the path of the operating means, pivotal nger pieces movableindependently of the releasing mechanism, a coin-controlled device foroperating the finger pieces, which, when operated, coact with the saidlocking device for locking the releasing mechanism the said parts beingarranged constructed and connected to operate automatically when a coinis deposited within said mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

JAMES A. Evans.

Witnesses:

VHJLIAM J. JACKSON, M. R. KINNING.

